Getting mindful with Tara Norman
The Fun Never Stops
It never stops for a working mother. An assembly line of tasks that just keep piling up (remember I Love Lucy at the candy factory). 
In addition to our “job-job”, household duties, bills, grocery shopping……… we have our children to tend to.
We are all too familiar with the drill. Our child(ren) appear to be occupied, watching television., reading a book, playing with knives, and we discretely sneak off and try to accomplish something on that enormous list of ours. Just when we begin to focus and make some headway, “Mommy where are you?” “Mommy I’m hungry” “Mommy I’m bored”, “Mommy I can’t breathe”.
“Should I just give in?” I think to myself. I know I won’t get much if anything done. So much for returning emails, folding laundry or “G-d Forbid” take a relaxing bubble bath.
I try to be patient and sweet sounding……… the first 25 times I hear “Mommy, where are you?”or “Mommy when are you going to be finished? I appease them by saying, I will be done in 10 minutes and then we will do something fun.”
The interruptions continue every minute and a half until I have a meltdown of my own (my husband calls it a psychotic rage but what does he know?)
When the storm is over my children are crying and hating my guts. This is when the guilt kicks and I desperately try to overcompensate for my “Mommy Dearest” behavior.
Here are some creative suggestions on ways to spend quality time with your kids while making progress on your “to do” list.
1. Choose a task that you can do together. My two-year old loves to clean. I used to stress out trying to clean the kitchen or bathroom because he always wanted to “help mama”. I got him his own spray-bottle (filled with water kept on mist setting) so that he could help me.
2. Make it fun – get the leaves raked in the yard and use them to create scarecrows. You can also clear out some of their clothes this way by having them get things that are stained, ripped or too small to put on the scarecrow.
3. Teach them something – have them help you clean out your car. Tell them they can keep any of the change they find as long as they can count it.
4. Make it interesting. Sock sorting – hate this job but it was fascinating to my son. See how many pairs you can make. Pay them a nickel a pair if you have to.
5. Make them feel important – let them help you make a cake for daddy’s birthday or the apple pie you’re bringing to grandma’s house. Note: When making anything with eggs, have kids crack in separate bowl first to avoid ruining your dish.
Remember to choose activities that are age appropriate. Kids enjoy getting messy and they love doing what you’re doing. So often they want to help us but we are impatient. We know we can get it done much faster and more efficient if we do it ourselves. Well, how many times have you failed to accomplish anything because the kids were present?
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